Shirt finishing bag



June 20, 1967 G. SCHLEMON SHIRT FINISHING BAG Filed July 28, 1966 //V l [N TOR GeOfye Scfz/emon A TTORNE Y5 United States Patent 3,326,427 SHIRT FINISHING BAG George Schlemon, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Southern Mills, Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed July 28, 1966, Ser. No. 568,529 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-67) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shirt finishing bag of the type utilized to press and finish shirts wherein a shirt is mounted over the bag and the bag is inflated with a finishing fluid. The bag comprises a slightly tapering torso section and a skirt section wherein the rear portion of the torso section has a band of porous fabric with a naturally coarse frictional surface to prevent upward movement of a shirt relative to the bag during inflation of the bag.

The present invention relates to inflatable garment finishing bags. More particularly, the invention relates to inflatable garment finishing bags for pressing and finishing shirts.

Inflatable garment finishing used by shirt manufacturers as ing shirts in large numbers. In general, these bags re semble sleeveless gowns and are employed on special machines of a type having a frusto-conical base with an upwardly extending T-shaped support. Each bag is mounted over the yoke of the T-shaped support of the machine and drapes freely down around the frusto-conical base and is there secured by such means as drawstrings or the like. The base of the machine houses the means for injecting a finishing fluid or fluids into the interior of the bag and thereby produce inflation.

A typical pressing operation using one of these bags is carried out by placing a shirt over the upper portion of the mounted bag while the bag is in a deflated condition. It is necessary that the shirt be at least partially buttoned so as to maintain it in position over the bag. Once the shirt is appropriately mounted, the bag is inflated by injecting a finishing fluid into the interior thereof from the base of the machine. The bag itself is sufiiciently porous so as to allow the finishing fluid to pass through the bag and the shirt while still causing the bag to become inflated and to exert some outward pressure on the shirt as it assumes the contour of the shirt.

While the concept of pressing shirts using an inflatable bag offers many advantages over other prior art methods of pressing shirts, the results obtained from the finishing bags heretofore employed have been less than desirable. Specifically, during the pressing operation and while the finishing bag is in an inflated condition the lower portion of the shirt would creep up the sides of the bag, thus producing transverse wrinkles or unpressed areas resembling an accordian in the lower region of the shirt. With the currently popular tapered shirts, this accordian effect is even more pronounced. A similar situation has also been encountered with shirts made from various synthetic fibers which have slippery surface characteristics.

This upward movement or accordian effect of the shirt during the pressing operation apparently can be attributed to the construction of the finishing bags. The bags were fabricated in such a manner that those portions lying in the region of the shirt tail would blouse outward relabags are presently being well as laundries for presstive to those portions of the bag lying beneath the upper torso area of the shirts when the bags were inflated. The blousing effect, in turn, produced an upward force on the lower portions of the shirts, thus causing these portions of the shirts to creep up the sides of the bags and create wrinkles.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a shirt finishing bag of novel construction which substantially overcomes the above noted disadvantages of the finishing bags heretofore produced for pressing and finishing shirts. Briefly described, the shirt finishing bag of the present invention comprises a tapered torso section and a skirt section wherein that portion of the torso section which lies adjacent the skirt section and circumscribes the rear half of the finishing bag is provided with a highly frictional surface thereby reducing the tendency for the shirt to slide thereover. In addition, by tapering the torso section the finishing bag more nearly conforms to the general configuration of the shirt and helps control the degree of blousing of the bag in the region of the shirt tail. The combination of the highly frictional surface on the rear portion of the bag and the tapered torso section substantially prevents the shirt from creeping up the sides of the bag. As a result, transverse wrinkling along the lower region of the shirts being pressed with finishing bags is substantially eliminated by employing the shirt finishing bag of the present invention.

These and other features and advantages of the shirt finishing bag of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the shirt finishing bag of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the shirt finishing bag of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view showing the typical frame and machine with which the shirt finishing bag can be used, and further showing the shirt finishing bag in dotted lines when properly positioned over the frame.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of an inflated shirt finishing bag having a shirt mounted thereon.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the' shirt finishing bag 1 generally comprises a torso section 2 and a skirt section 3. The juncture between the torso section 2 and the skirt section 3 is the narrowest dimension of the shirt finishing bag and generally corresponds to the region of a shirt comprising the apexes of the side vents as is more apparent in FIG. 4.

The torso section 2 is provided with an upper shoulder region bisected by a neck opening 5 and having sleeve openings 6 and '7 on opposite sides. The sleeve openings are provided with zippers 20 or other closure means whereby they may be closed if so desired. In order to obtain adequate blousing of the upper portion of the shirt finishing bag when inflated, the shoulder region is provided with interior front and rear restraining pieces 12 and 13. These restraining pieces are individually sewn into the interior of the bag, the front piece extending from the top of the shoulder region adjacent the neck opening 5 to a horizontal line (shown by stitching 21) which divides the chest region while the rear piece extends from the top of the shoulder region adjacent the neck opening 5 to a horizontal line (shown by stitching 22) which divides the upper back region. The restraining pieces are of such a size that when they are fully extended by inflation of the bag the corresponding outer areas of the finishing bag defined by the shoulder region blouse outward in a billowing manner and thereby more naturally conform to the contour of the same region of a shirt. It is further pointed out that the restraining pieces are preferably of a flexible, highly porous material such as a large mesh fabric so as not to interfere with the inflation of the bag.

As is apparent from the drawings, the lower region of the torso section 2 terminating at the juncture line with the skirt section 3 is tapered slightly inward. This tapering effect is achieved by periodically gathering portions of the torso section 2 along the juncture line with the skirt section. The purpose of this particular construction is to limit the extent of inflation of the shirt finishing bag in this region and thereby reduce the forces tending to cause a shirt being pressed to creep up the sides of the shirt finishing bag. Of course, some of these forces will still be present since some outward pressure must be exerted by the bag on the shirt to perform the pressing operation. Due to the fact that some of these forces still remain, the lower rear area of the torso section 2 has secured thereto a band 4 of highly frictional material such as a fabric of rough hand. When the bag is inflated, this frictional band provides sufficient resistance to movement of the shirt to overcome any remaining forces tending to cause the shirt to creep up the sides of the finishing bag.

The band of frictional material is preferably located only around the rear half of the shirt finishing bag 1 since this corresponds to the region of the shirt upon which the greatest creeping forces act. However, it should be understood that the band of frictional material may also extend around the front half of the shirt finishing bag. Moreover, while the band of frictional material is illustrated in the drawings as of considerable width, such width may be varied in accordance with the degree of resistance required to prevent creeping upward by any particular shirt being pressed.

As is shown in FIG. 3, the shirt finishing bag 1 is constructed to fit over the frame so as to be supported thereby. The frame generally comprises a lower platform portion 15 on the upper surface of which is supported a frustoconical base 16. The base usually houses the means supplying the .finishing fluid to the machine and therefore is provided with a plurality of apertures 14 for releasing the finishing fluid to the interior of a mounted bag. Located centrally of the base 16 and extending upward therefrom is a vertical support 17. At the upper end of the vertical support is positioned a horizontal yoke 18 having an upwardly extending neck segment 19. The machine is further provided with a clamping arm 24 for maintaining a shirt in position. Further details of this machine are not believed necessary to describe as they are well known in the art.

As shown by the phantom line in FIG. 3, the shirt finishing bag 1 is positioned over the frame in such a manner that the neck segment 19 extends through the opening of the bag while the sleeve openings are positioned at opposite ends of the yoke 18. From this supported position the shirt finishing bag 1 drapes freely downward around the frame with the skirt section 3 surrounding the frustoconical base 16 in a closely adjacent manner. The lower edge of the skirt section 3 of the bag is secured between the base 16 and the platform by means of drawstrings 8 (FIG. 1) or the like. The thus mounted shirt finishing bag is thereby ready for operation.

In operation, a shirt is placed in position over the thus supported finishing bag while the bag is in a deflated condition. The sleeve openings 6 and 7 of the bag may be either opened or closed as desired. The front of the shirt is then buttoned or otherwise closed around the finishing bag and the clamp 24 placed in position followed by inflation of the bag with a finishing fluid. The bag expands to conform to the contour of the shirt while exerting a slight outward pressure thereon as is shown in FIG. 4. It should be noted that the finishing bag 1, as previously explained, is proportioned in such a manner as to locate the juncture between the torso section 2 and the skirt section 3 approximately in the area of the apexes of the side vents of the shirt and generally indicated by numeral 30. This particular proportioning of the finishing bag is desirable since it places the narrowest dimension of the bag adjacent the region of the lowermost button or closure of the shirt. This, of course, is the lowermost region in which the shirt is restrained by its own construction since the shirt tails which extend further downward are free to move outward. As a result, the forces tending to cause the shirt to creep upward on the bag are substantially maintained at a minimum.

The front and rear shirt tails which extend below the apexes of the side vents of the shirt drape over the skirt section 3 of the finishing bag. Since the skirt section 3 of the finishing bag fits adjacent the base 16 of the machine, it undergoes very little expansion upon inflation of the finishing bag. As a result, only a limited outward force is exerted by the finishing bag upon the front and rear shirt tails.

Thus, it should be understood that the particular structural con-figuration of the shirt finishing bag of the present invention substantially reduces to a minimum those forces which tend to cause the shirt to creep up the sides of the bag when inflated for operation while at the same time the frictional band provided in the torso section of the finishing bag counteracts any remaining forces tending to cause such creep. The overall result is illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein no transverse wrinkles are produced in the shirt while the finishing bag is inflated during the pressing and finishing operation.

In considering the various materials which may be used in fabricating the shirt finishing bag of the present invention, it is pointed out that the torso section and the skirt section of the bag should be formed from a heat resistant fabric such as nylon. In addition, the fabric should have sufficient porosity to permit the finishing fluid to pass therethrough and on through the skirt while also permitting the finishing bag to be inflated with the finishing fluid. The porosity of the fabric will be mainly controlled by the particular weave although in some instances other factors may have to be considered as in the case of coated or impregnated fabrics.

The band of highly frictional material is preferably a fabric having a coarse surface and being heat resistant. It is essential that this band of material have a sufficiently rough surface to inhibit the sliding movement of a shirt fabric thereover. It has been found that a coarse surfaced fabric woven from synthetic fibers formed from a plastic material marketed under the name of Nomex is extremely suitable for use for this band of material. The same porosity characteristics are desirable for this band as were pointed out with respect to the fabric forming the remaining portion of the finishing bag.

At various points throughout the above description reference is made to the use of a finishing fluid in inflating the shirt pressing bag during operation. This term is used to generically cover any fluid which may be used to press and finish shirts and specifically includes steam and air at various conditions.

Thus having described the present invention in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the present invention is intended to be limited only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An inflatable shirt finishing bag of the type utilized to press and finish shirts wherein a shirt is draped over said bag and said bag is inflated with a finishing fluid so as to assume the contour of said shirt, said bag comprising a torso section having front and rear portions and a skirt section, said torso section tapering slightly inward adjacent the juncture line between said torso section and 5 6 said skirt section, and at least part of said rear portion of References Cited said torso section having secured thereto a band of porous UNITED STATES PATENTS fabric with a naturally coarse frictional surface which provides resistance to upward movement of a shirt rela- 2,417,838 3/1947 Pans 223*67 tive to said bag when said bag is inflated. 5 2,736,471 2/1956 Jackson 223 67 2. An inflatable shirt finishing bag according to claim 1 2,990,983 7/ 1961 Jackson 22367 wherein restraining pieces are secured to the upper front and upper rear torso section above the juncture line be- JORDAN FRANKLIN Primary Exammer' tween said torso section and said skirt section. G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AN INFLATABLE SKIRT FINISHING BAG OF THE TYPE UTILIZED TO PRESS AND FINISH SKIRTS WHEREIN A SKIRT IS DRAPED OVER SAID BAG AND SAID BAG IS INFLATED WITH A FINISHING FLUID SO AS TO ASSUME THE CONTOUR OF SAID SHIRT, SAID BAG COMPRISING A TORSO SECTION HAVING FRONT AND REAR PORTIONS AND A SKIRT SECTION, SAID TORSO SECTION TAPERING SLIGHTLY INWARD ADJACENT THE JUNTURE LINE BETWEEN SAID TORSO SECTION AND SAID SKIRT SECTION, AND AT LEAST PART OF SAID REAR PORTION OF SAID TORSO SECTION HAVING SECURED THERETO A BAND OF POROUS FABRIC WITH A NATURALLY COARSE FRICTIONAL SURFACE WHICH PROVIDES RESISTANCE TO UPWARD MOVEMENT OF A SKIFT RELATIVE TO SAID BAG WHEN SAID BAG IS INFLATED. 